A hoodie!

Well, It's been a productive week. With perfect timing, the hood, with the exception of buttons, is completely finished. Today is the autumn equinox and it makes sense to have something new and warm ready today.






My bust of Hygeia is helping with a modelling photo, because I can't snap myself wearing it....my arms just aren't long enough. All the seams are flat felled, except the neckline, which I blanket-stitched to the inside of the hood. (No raw fabric edges anywhere, in fact.) I like how it turned out and I think it will be both comfortable and warm, which is all that's necessary. I'm in contact with a Scadian from Insula Draconis and will be getting some nice pewter buttons to finish it off. On to the next project!


* Working note: Grey wool and DMC black flower thread for hand stitching. DMC 701,721, 726,817, 3760 for chainstitch.)

Linen online

I was just minding my own business, when I came upon my third reference to an online store specializing in linen for re-enactors. I decided it meant something - like I should buy some! It's ordered and I'll let you know what I think after I get it. Twenty yards of bleached 100% linen (59" wide)for $99? Sounds like a deal to me! Hmm... chemises, napkins, all sorts of things come to mind.

Hoodlums

Over the weekend I gave in to impulse and started a hood based in part on the pattern in the Medieval Tailor's Assistant. I've been wanting one for a while and I had a chunk of leftover charcoal grey wool (from a cape I made for a family member) that was just the right size. I also wanted something to work on while ruminating over how best to make up my new green wool!

I made the actual hood part following the directions in MTA, but made the cowl part in two half circles, rather than a bunch of gores. I think it will lay better that way. It's completely hand-sewn so far and I plan to stick to that. Grey wool wasn't exactly the flashiest thing I could use, so I decided to embellish with a Bulgarian pattern of embroidery. I'm using a piece of a chemise sleeve pattern from Bulgarian National Embroidery: Western Regions. The original was silk on linen in long-armed cross stitch. I'm using cotton on wool for wearability and chainstitch for coverage instead. Here are some pictures of the work in progress.







As you can see, the embroidery is finished on one side of the hood and I've just begun the mirror image. I just noticed you can also still see the chalk marks. Oops!

I have to attach the cowl after the embroidery is finished and I've sewn down the facing. After that, I need to decide what to use to edge finish the cowl. I think I will probably blanket stitch it in black wool so it doesn't take away from all the bright embroidery. (Or overwhelm!) Then there are several buttons and buttonholes and it'll be ready to wear!

A good day in the market

Our local fabric sellers have been closing out their lightweight summer stuff for the last month or so and stock has been very limited. I've been anxiously waiting for the woolens to become available, because I'd really like a dress in something other than linen or cotton for the winter. I was hoping for a nice dark green that would contrast nicely with either my pink or yellow undergowns and today I struck paydirt! My favorite seller was getting out her wool fabrics and she had a really nice loden green dressweight. It's 60" wide and I got enough for a nice dress. Good thing next weekend is a three-day holiday for Bulgarian Independence Day! If I can get the pattern drafted this weekend, I should be able to finish it next weekend. Yay!

More signs of autumn

The storks are beginning to migrate south and this will probably be the last time I see one until next summer. They are so ungainly when they fly and so graceful when walking. Hopefully this year's pair will return to Skaptopara next year.

Autumn is here!

The students are back, the place is buzzing, and there's the smell of roasting peppers and ripening grapes all over town. These are in my garden.





Truly autumn in Eastern Europe. Many houses are bedecked with strings of drying red peppers and bunches of herbs, especially tchubritsa. It's rather festive and it makes you aware that winter is just around the corner, even though the days can still be scorchingly hot.

Last day in Greece

It's been crazy since my trip, because we started new student orientation as soon as we got back to Blagoevgrad. At last, I have time to post my remaining pictures!

On Sunday morning, we headed to the hills of the city to see the Byzantine walls before heading to Vergina. We visited this church on the way, where they were setting up for a wedding.















We stopped at a small monastery, which was built into a section of the city walls. Initally, we thought we'd found a zoo, because there were a load of peacocks on the grounds!















Then it was off to Vergina, where were toured the royal tombs museum. It was very cool, since the museum is actually built inside the tumulus. It's rather like entering a cave and finding a golden hoard!

After viewing the royal tomb, we went to a current dig, where we saw the entrance to a tomb that was not so elaborate, but that you could examine more closely. We also saw a theatre that was being excavated. My friend and I were dressed for scrambling up the hills in slacks and sneakers, but we kept running into female Greek tourists wearing high heels and miniskirts, looking a lot like someone from the chalga channel back home. We couldn't figure out the logic to that style of clothing for outdoor adventure!









After that, it was back in the car and up the Struma valley, homeward bound.